The present invention relates to a mailbox insert to fit into conventional mailboxes to facilitate removal of delivered mail from the box.
Many citizens in this country have mail delivered to mailboxes remote from their home, usually located adjacent a nearby main thoroughfare. Mailboxes used are commonly mounted on poles or other suitable supports, and are generally formed of elongated, longitudinal containers having a hinged door which opens at one end thereof for delivering and removing articles of mail. In these types of boxes, removing mail often becomes difficult particularly if thin pieces of mail such as letters or postcards are placed on the bottom near the interior end of the box.
Various mailbox inserts are known in the prior art to facilitate removal of mail from mailboxes, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,600,143 and 4,714,192 to Harlow et al, 4,362,267 to Donaldson, 2,868,444 to Whittier and 4,753,385 to Phipps et al, among others.
The present invention relates to a mailbox insert formed from a single blank of heavy duty paper, cardboard or similar laminated stock material. The blank is structured to be folded forming a bottom support surface, side walls, end wall, and a suitable locking structure which maintains the insert assembled. The insert also includes an abutment surface for preventing the insert from being completely pulled out of the box as mail is being removed.
Among the objects of the present invention are the provision of a simple, inexpensive mailbox insert which can be formed from a single, flat stock material blank to facilitate removal of mail from the interior of mailboxes.